Christian Benteke: 'I would have swapped that Man United goal for a win'

Benteke would swap wonder goal for a win

Charlie Rusholme
– 15 September 2015 02:30 AM

Liverpool striker Christian Benteke

Liverpool striker Christian Benteke took a personal confidence boost from his wonder strike against Manchester United but has no doubt he and his team-mates must up their game.

Summer signing Benteke's second goal of the season came in spectacular fashion on Saturday as he sent a superb acrobatic shot past David de Gea at Old Trafford.

It was a disappointing afternoon overall for the Reds, though, with that 84th-minute effort - coming with them already two goals down - proving little more than a consolation in a 3-1 defeat.

It was Liverpool's second loss in a row and leaves them with seven points from their opening five Premier League games this term.

Reflecting on the United match, Benteke said: "It (his goal) was just instinct.

"I saw the ball come into the box and I just thought I had to try it.

"I had some luck and I am happy with it, but we didn't get the three points.

"For my own confidence it was good, (it is) for a striker to score, but at the end of the day I would have rather taken the three points and so I'm disappointed."

The 24-year-old Belgium international, quoted on Liverpool's official website, added: "It was a disappointment for us.

"In the first half, we didn't play (well), the second half was a little bit better but in general we didn't deserve a victory.

"We have to show more. When you play for a club like Liverpool, you have to show more.

"That's what we're going to do now in training - work hard, work hard and try to play well."

Gamble

Meanwhile, former Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli feels the club's shaky start to the season should come as little surprise given the "massive gamble" they made in recruiting seven new players over the summer.

Comolli, quoted by the Liverpool Echo, said: "I said before the beginning of the season that it is a massive gamble to change as many players as they did in the summer, as they did last summer.

"If you look at Saturday... they looked like they'd never played together before, which makes sense.

"It's going to take time. It is going to be difficult.

"And by the time they do start to gel, if they do, other teams will have a lot of points.

"They need to avoid defeat on Thursday (at Bordeaux in the Europa League), then they have two massive (Premier League) games at home (against Norwich and Aston Villa).

"They've got seven points, but their performances have not been convincing."